JPH0783830A - Pollen sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To determine the quantity of pollens with ease and high accuracy by applying exciting light to the pollens, and detecting luminescence emitted from the pollens. CONSTITUTION:Fresh air is sucked from an air inlet 1a and introduced into an air duct 4 by the operation of an air in halator 3, and exciting light such as ultraviolet light outputted from a light source 5 is incident via an incident portion 4a on the fresh air flowing through the passage 4 at a certain rate. When pollens are contained in the air, luminescence emitted from the pollens is emitted from an emitting portion 4b and incident on a detector 6a via an exciting-light cut-off filter 6b. The detector 6a generates current corresponding to the intensity of the incident luminescence, and a signal processing portion 9 converts this current value into a signal indicating the number of pollens contained per unit area, which is then displayed 10. Therefore, the quantity of pollens can be determined in real time with high accuracy and ease, with almost no possibility of detecting substances other than the pollens, such as dust.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pollen sensor for quantifying pollen amount.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the number of people suffering from allergic symptoms, so-called hay fever, caused by pollen of plants such as cedar, Japanese cypress, or Yabushi has been increasing, and has become a major social problem.

As a method for preventing allergic diseases, there is known a method using an air purifier which collects pollen in the air by using an electrostatic filter or an electric dust collecting function. Such an air purifier is required to have a function of operating when the amount of pollen in the room reaches a predetermined concentration, a function of adjusting the suction amount to the air purifier according to the concentration of pollen in the room, and the like. Further, even when the air purifier is not used when the amount of pollen in the room reaches a predetermined concentration, it is desirable to take measures such as preventing the pollen from being sucked by a mask.

Thus, in order to prevent hay fever,
It is necessary to quantify the amount of pollen in the air.

Conventionally, as a means for quantifying the amount of pollen, a certain volume of air is sucked through a filter, and then the pollen particles on this filter are measured by a microscope. Method of measuring the amount of pollen from the intensity of scattered light generated, or after immersing the crystal oscillator with a monomolecular film of anti-pollen antibody on the main surface in distilled water, introduce outside air into this distilled water A method in which pollen is attached to a membrane by an antigen-antibody reaction, and the amount of pollen is quantified from the change in the frequency of a crystal oscillator (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 315053/1992: G01N33).
/ 543) and the like are known.

[0006]

However, the above-mentioned microscope observation method has a problem that it is very complicated and lacks in simplicity. In addition, the method of measuring the amount of pollen from the scattered light intensity also has a problem that it cannot be quantified with high accuracy because dust other than pollen is also measured. In addition, in the method using a crystal oscillator, in addition to the problem that isolation of high-purity and high-quality anti-pollen antibody is difficult, it is necessary to remove the pollen once attached from the crystal oscillator, which results in complicated measurement. There was a problem like that.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a pollen sensor which can easily and highly accurately quantify the amount of pollen.

[0008]

The pollen sensor of the present invention comprises:
A light source for irradiating pollen with excitation light, and a detection unit for detecting luminescence emitted from the pollen irradiated with the excitation light, and quantifying the amount of pollen from the luminescence intensity obtained from the detection unit. Characterize.

In particular, the excitation light is composed of ultraviolet light, and the detection section detects luminescence in the visible light region.

Further, the detection section is provided with a prevention means for preventing the excitation light from entering.

[0011]

According to the structure of the present invention, the luminescence emitted from the pollen irradiated with the excitation light is detected, so that the amount of pollen can be quantified from the luminescence intensity outside the wavelength region of the excitation light. Therefore, the amount of pollen can be quantified with high accuracy without detecting dust or dust other than pollen. Further, according to such a configuration, it is possible to operate without removing the pollen from the inside of the sensor, and it is not necessary to isolate a specific substance from the pollen, so that the pollen can be easily quantified and suspended in the air. The amount of pollen produced can be quantified in real time.

In particular, when the excitation light is ultraviolet light, the emitted luminescence includes a visible light region. Therefore, in this case, the amount of pollen can be detected with high sensitivity from the luminescence intensity in the visible light region.

Further, when the detecting section is provided with a preventing means for preventing the excitation light from entering, the sensitivity of the detecting section is increased.

[0014]

EXAMPLES The present invention shows that the inventor of the present invention emits luminescence from pollen when it is irradiated with excitation light, and particularly emits luminescence having a unique peak in the visible light region when it is irradiated with ultraviolet light. It was made based on the finding of being made. For example, in Figure 1
It is a luminescence spectrum figure emitted from a cedar pollen when a cedar pollen is irradiated with the Xe lamp which has a spectrum with a peak wavelength of about 340 nm. 4 cedar pollen from this figure
It can be seen that it emits luminescence in the visible light region having a peak wavelength near 70 nm. Pollens other than cedar pollen also produce luminescence including the visible light region when irradiated with ultraviolet rays, but it has not been identified whether these luminescence are fluorescent or phosphorescent.

A pollen sensor according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the pollen sensor of this embodiment.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a main body of the pollen sensor (a shield for external light). Reference numeral 2 denotes an air supply passage (air supply pipe) that is connected to the intake port 1a on the front surface of the main body 1 and that introduces external air. Reference numeral 3 is an air inhaler that is connected to the air supply passage 2 and that introduces external air from the intake port 1a, for example, an air pump.

An air supply passage 4 is connected from the rear of the air inhaler 3 to an outlet 1b on the rear surface of the main body 1 and has an incident portion 4a of excitation light and an emission portion 4b of luminescence inside the main body 1. Trachea). The excitation light incident portion 4a and the luminescence emission portion 4b of the air supply passage 4 have optical transparency with respect to the excitation light and the luminescence to be detected. The air supply passage 4 of this embodiment is made of a quartz glass tube having a cross section of 10 mm square that sufficiently transmits light in the ultraviolet region to the visible light region, and the incident portion 4a and the emission portion 4b are located at substantially the same position.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a light source that outputs excitation light for transitioning molecules contained in pollen to an excited state, and the excitation light is obliquely incident on the incident portion 4a of the air supply passage 4. 1 is located inside. The excitation light is preferably light in the ultraviolet region, and in this embodiment, an Xe lamp having a spectrum with a peak wavelength of about 340 nm was used as shown in FIG.

Numeral 6 is an entrance portion 4 of the air supply passage 4 so that the luminescence emitted from the pollen irradiated with the excitation light can be detected.
A phototube, a photodiode, or an amorphous silicon color sensor that is disposed on the same side as a and that faces the emitting portion 4b in a direction that forms a predetermined angle (for example, about 20 to 40 degrees) with the incident direction of the excitation light and that detects luminescence. It is a photodetector having a photodetector 6a selected from the above. When pollen is irradiated with light in the ultraviolet region, luminescence including a peak peculiar to the visible light region occurs,
A photodetector capable of detecting light in the visible light region can be used as the detection unit 6 of the present embodiment, and for example, a multi-channel photodiode (MCPD-100; Otsuka Electronics) that detects light in the wavelength region of 380 nm to 800 nm. (Manufactured by Co., Ltd.) was used.

The detection unit 6 is provided between the light receiving surface of the detector 6a and the emission unit 4b, and the reflected light of the excitation light is detected by the detector 6a.
It has an excitation light cut filter (prevention means) 6b composed of a glass filter, a gelatin filter, a dielectric multilayer film filter, or the like for preventing the light from entering the light receiving surface of. The excitation light cut filter 6b of the present embodiment is a glass filter (UV cut filter) containing Ce ⁴⁺ ions.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a light source 5, a detection unit 6, and an incident unit 4 in order to prevent stray light from entering the incident unit 4a and the emission unit 4b.
For example, it is a metallic shielding means that covers the periphery of a and the emitting portion 4b, and its inner wall is painted black in order to prevent irregular reflection of light.

Reference numeral 8 is a shielding means made of a metal plate with a black surface for preventing the excitation light from the light source 5 or its reflected light from entering the detection portion 6.

Reference numeral 9 is a signal processing unit for converting a current corresponding to the luminescence intensity detected by the detector 6a into a signal of the number of pollen contained in a unit volume. Reference numeral 10 is a display unit for numerically displaying the signal corresponding to the luminescence intensity processed by the signal processing unit 9.

Such a sensor operates the air inhaler 3,
The external air sucked from the intake port 1a has a desired constant flow rate from the exhaust port 1b through the air supply passage 2, the air inhaler 3, and the air supply passage 4 including the incident portion 4a and the emission portion 4b. It is discharged in this state, and the light source 5 and the detector 6a are operated and used. The excitation light output from this light source 5 is
When the external air flowing at a constant flow rate through the air supply passage 4 from the incident portion 4a is irradiated and pollen is contained in the air, the luminescence emitted from the pollen is emitted by the emission portion 4a.
It is emitted from b and is incident on the detector 6a via the excitation light cut filter 6b. In the detector 6a, a current corresponding to the incident luminescence intensity is generated, the signal processing unit 9 converts this current value into information on the number of pollen contained in a unit volume, and the display unit 10 displays the value. Is displayed.

FIG. 4 shows the detector of the pollen sensor when the air inhaler 3 is operated and the flow rate of the external air containing cedar pollen from the intake port 1a to the exhaust port 1b is set to 0.3 l / min. 6a output current value (μA) and the amount of cedar pollen contained in the external air at that time were determined by a conventional microscopic observation method (note that a filter with a mesh gap of 5 μm was used to capture pollen) per unit volume Shows the relationship between the numbers of cedar pollen contained in. In addition, the detector 6 in the case of air that does not contain pollen under the same conditions
The output current value (background noise) of a is about 0.1.
μA.

From FIG. 4, it can be seen that the output current value of the detector 6a and the number of cedar pollen contained in a unit volume are in a substantially proportional relationship. Therefore, when there is background noise, the signal processing unit 9 determines the number of cedar pollen contained in a unit volume based on the proportional relationship information that is input in advance from the output current value obtained by subtracting the noise. Is calculated.

Table 1 shows the output current value of the detector 6a in the case of external air under the same conditions as in FIG. 4 and in the case where dust such as cigarette smoke or chalk powder is further mixed in the external air. .

[0028]

[Table 1]

It can be seen from Table 1 that the output current value hardly changes in these two cases. That is,
It can be seen that dust does not affect the detection sensitivity of pollen.
This is because dust and dust generally do not emit luminescence in the visible light region even when they are irradiated with ultraviolet rays, and are simply diffused (scattered).

As described above, since this pollen sensor measures the amount of pollen floating in the air based only on the luminescence in the visible light region emitted by pollen irradiated with ultraviolet rays, dust or dust is detected as pollen. The amount of pollen can be quantified with high accuracy without fear. Further, in the pollen sensor, it is not necessary to isolate a specific substance from the pollen, and there is no possibility that the pollen will adhere to the part where the pollen is detected. Therefore, the amount of pollen can be easily quantified in real time.

FIG. 5 (a) is a schematic configuration diagram showing a pollen sensor according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 5 (b) is a schematic configuration diagram of a cross section taken along the one-dot chain line AA in FIG. 5 (a). . The difference from the first embodiment is the arrangement of the light source and the detector, and the shape of the shielding means. The parts common to and corresponding parts to those of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the figure, the light source 5 and the detection unit 6 have a linear direction passing between the light source 5 and the incident portion 4a, a linear direction passing between the detector 6a and the emitting portion 4b, and an extending direction of the air supply passage 4. They are arranged so that they intersect each other and the intersection of the two straight lines exists inside the air supply passage 4.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a black metal light shielding plate which covers the space between the light source 5 and the detecting portion 6 including the incident portion 4a and the emitting portion 4b, and the excitation light from the light source 5 and its light are applied to the detector 6a. It blocks the reflected light from entering, and also blocks the stray light from entering the portion of the air supply passage 4 through which the excitation light passes.

In the case of this embodiment, the light source 5 and the detector 6 are
Since the linear direction passing between the light source 5 and the incident portion 4a, the linear direction passing between the detector 6a and the emitting portion 4b, and the extending direction of the air supply passage 4 are orthogonal to each other, the excitation light is transmitted to the detector 6a. There is no danger of entering directly. Further, since the excitation light output from the light source 5 is vertically incident on the surface of the incident portion 4a, the incident portion 4a
Since the irregular reflection at the detector 6a is reduced,
Less likely to enter. As a result, the pollen detection sensitivity is higher than that in the first embodiment.

In the first and second embodiments, the shielding means 7, 8,
17. Further, the excitation light cut filter 6b is used, but the detection sensitivity may decrease, but it can be appropriately omitted.

In particular, if the detector 6a has sensitivity only to a specific wavelength region of the luminescence outside the wavelength region of the excitation light, the excitation light cut filter 6b and the like are not necessary. However, if stray light enters the detector 6a, the sensitivity of the detector deteriorates, so it is preferable to provide an excitation light cut filter or a shielding means.

Further, since it is desirable that the light source 5 has high monochromaticity and directivity, a laser device or the like is preferable. This is because stray light can be suppressed and luminescence with a wavelength different from the wavelength of the excitation light can be easily detected with high sensitivity.

In the above description, only the pollen sensor is shown, but when it is built in the air purifier, it may be arranged in front of the electrostatic filter or the electric dust collecting function means. In this case, the pollen sensor is at least a light source, The detection unit and the signal processing unit may be included, and a shielding unit for shielding stray light or an excitation light cut filter may be appropriately used.

Further, although cedar pollen has been described as an example in the above-mentioned examples, it is considered that the above luminescence is caused by a protein contained in pollen, and other pollen is also based on the intensity of luminescence released from pollen. Can be quantified.

[0040]

The pollen sensor of the present invention comprises a light source for irradiating pollen with excitation light and a detector for detecting luminescence emitted from the pollen irradiated with the excitation light, and is obtained from the detector. Since the amount of pollen is quantified from the luminescence intensity, the amount of pollen can be quantified from the luminescence intensity outside the wavelength region of the excitation light. Therefore, the amount of pollen can be quantified with high accuracy without detecting dust or dust other than pollen. According to such a configuration, it is possible to operate without removing the pollen from the inside of the sensor and it is not necessary to isolate a specific substance from the pollen, so that the pollen can be easily quantified and the pollen floating in the air can be used. The amount can be quantified in real time.

As a result, by incorporating this pollen sensor, the air purifier or the like can change its operating state according to the pollen concentration in the room.

In particular, when the excitation light is ultraviolet light, the emitted luminescence includes the visible light region. Therefore, in this case, the amount of pollen can be detected with high sensitivity from the luminescence intensity in the visible light region.

Further, when the detecting section is provided with a preventing means for preventing the incidence of the excitation light, the sensitivity of the detecting section is increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a luminescence spectrum diagram emitted from cedar pollen irradiated with ultraviolet rays.

FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a pollen sensor according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a spectrum diagram output by a light source used in the pollen sensor of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the current value of the detector and the number of pollens per unit volume when measured using the pollen sensor of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a pollen sensor according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 5 light source 6 detector 6a detector 6b prevention means (excitation light cut filter)

Front Page Continuation (72) Inventor Yuuyuki Fujii 2-18 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Yoshitaka Nishio 2-18 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. Company (72) Inventor Kenichi Shibata 2-18 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A light source for irradiating pollen with excitation light, and a detection unit for detecting luminescence emitted from the pollen irradiated with the excitation light, and the amount of pollen based on the luminescence intensity obtained from the detection unit. A pollen sensor characterized by quantifying. 2. The pollen sensor according to claim 1, wherein the excitation light is ultraviolet light, and the detection unit detects luminescence in a visible light region. 3. The pollen sensor according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit includes a prevention unit that prevents the excitation light from entering.